couple issues...need verification

[88GeeTee]

well, about a week ago, my GT failed emissions...used a friend's scanner and started fixing some issues with it...i still have a few and i need some verification on what could be my issues. first, i keep losing coolant but can't seem to find a leak...thought it might be the heater core...but last night after doing all the work and pounding on it going home (about a 40 mile trip, coolant was full when i left), it was EMPTY when i got home. i have noticed i get some steam, but i thought it was normal...until now, are there any other checks i can do to check for a leaking head gasket? could a leaky head gasket cause me to have really high Hydrocarbons and fail emissions? also, another problem...i just need verification on a procedure...how do you set the idle on these? i am having a lot of problem getting the idle to go down...it wants to stay around 1,200-1,500...sometimes it will go to 1,000...that is more than a little bit unacceptable...can anyone help?

thanks in advance!
Josh

 

[vristang]

Unless the coolant is quenching the flame fronts, I don't see how a head gasket leak could cause high HCs. You should be able to see a difference in spark plugs if this is the case.
Failing HCs can be due to several problems, what were the codes that you have been working on? It may be that this is already fixed. What codes are you getting now?

The problem you are having with the idle sounds different than the idle just being set too high, to me any way.
Did you get any codes for the IAC? For a very in depth discussion on possible causes for high/erratic idle issues check out the "Surging Idle Checklist" at the top of this forum. It has helped me.

For setting the idle check out the following site...

http://www.muscularmustangs.com/idlereset.php

Good luck
jason

 

[88GeeTee]

well, the spark plugs looked normal. old, but normal. i don't recall what the codes were we had...i wanna say 43 and 91? something relating to the O2 sensors. i replaced both of them and checked the connectors. i didn't rescan it after we were done because it was about 5 am (we worked on the car all day/night, just doing different things to it and BSing) and we were both tired...we are gonna hit it again in a few days...

Josh

 

[Roland69]

Did you check for a coolant leak at the little weep hole right by the p side headder flange on the fire wall. Or maby a intake gasket and that might cause a high idle if i'm not mistaken.

 

[88GeeTee]

i will check that out, hadn't yet...thanks man...

Josh